(This is a letter sent to THE WASHINGTON POST, but has not been published yet
by the paper.)
June 7, 1996
Letters to the Editor
The Washington Post
1150 15th Street NW
Washington, DC  20071
To the Editor:
Did it ever occur to anyone that teachers oppose many so-called reforms 
("Teachers Union on Defensive in School Reform Struggle," June 3) not 
out of some knee-jerk, self-protective impulse, but because they know 
what's being proposed is bad educationally?  Your article cites private 
management of public schools and vouchers as two "reforms" that teacher 
unions oppose, and yet neglects to mention that the track record of such 
reforms ranges from mediocre to dismal. It also neglects to mention that 
many other groups -- parents, clergy, local officials -- oppose such 
approaches.
The largest private management experiment to date in public schools -- 
the work of Education Alternatives, Inc. (EAI) in Baltimore and Hartford 
-- went up in flames because the company didn't deliver on its promises; 
made questionable use of public funds; cost more, not less; and didn't 
improve student achievement.  The public record on this is there for all 
to see. The ongoing voucher experiment in Milwaukee has produced 
achievement results no different from comparable public schools, and 
this has been carefully documented by independent evaluations. But the 
growing evidence against these approaches is routinely ignored in 
accounts such as yours, which portray them as the new magic bullet for 
education and teacher unions as the only obstacle.
AFT teachers across the country are actively promoting fundamental 
reforms that have been proved to work and that command broad support 
from parents, teachers, business leaders, and the larger public -- 
standards of conduct and standards for achievement.  These are not 
recognized as reforms, however, because they're not "innovative"  or 
"creative," adjectives that apparently must apply for something to be 
considered a reform.  But standards of conduct and achievement are the 
reforms that will benefit students, and teachers know it.  Business 
leaders understand the need for standards and support them. Parents say 
thats what they want for their children. If we would give them what they 
want -- and what we know to be educationally sound -- then perhaps 
communities would stop wasting their students time and their tax dollars 
chasing elusive "reforms" like private management.
Sincerely,
Albert Shanker
President
American Federation of Teachers
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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